Birkdale Sands

[FLYLPL]

My first flight was in a De Havilland DH 83 Fox Moth from Birkdale Sands in the early 1970s. Unfortunately I didn't record the aircraft registration but remember it being painted all red at the time. Would anyone know the registration of this aircraft, to enable me to find out if it still exists and if so in what condition? Any information would be most appreciated. Many thanks.

[planemike]

Here is photo of G-AOJH although the registration is not visible:- www.abpic.co.uk/popup.php?q=1121746. Plenty more photos around on the web. The aircraft currently wears a dark green livery.

This may be of interest:- www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/275931-southport-beach-merseyside.html

The aircraft is airworthy and is based at Rendcombe in Gloucestershire.

Planemike






2023 update: The link still opens, although many of the images contributed are partly obscured by the Photobucket watermark.

[viscount]

Until the early/mid 60s there were several Fox Moths at Southport/Birkdale Sands. The last airworthy being G-ACEJ in a silver scheme. However the date you quote, early 70s would mean it would have been G-AOJH, which was red underside, lower wings and rudder with a pale yellow top. Here is G-AOJH in the late 50s at Speke while with Harry Paterson. She was certainly active at Speke and Birkdale summers of 1968, 1969 and 1970, operated by Captain "Johnny" Lewery. Almost certainly operated pleasure flights from Birkdale further into the early 70s, but not appearing at Speke.

Both these Fox Moths are still flying, although both have changed their colour schemes.


Somewhere I recall a nice colour picture of 'JH in red and yellow on our forum, but cannot locate it quickly so this beautiful shot of 'JH in black and white will have to do for now. Most probably very late 50s, just maybe into the very early 60s. Presumably that is Harry Paterson at the controls.




While these are two of my own, probably my first outing with a camera - a totally basic Kodak 127 which took 8 pictures per film onto large negatives! I must have been pleased with these at the time (I was 10), but today could criticise every aspect of focus, exposure (I had no control over either), contrast and composition (the horizon line has been heavily corrected on digitisation). The first is dated 17th June 1961, the second June 1961 with the Dakota noted as PH-SSM (which visited on 25th June).






There is a major piece on the operation of G-AOJH from Liverpool 1958-1961, with briefer notes on 1968-1970 operation, elsewhere in the 'Nostalgia' section of this forum, towards the end of page 1 of a thread linked: www.derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/3394

[FLYLPL]

planemike, viscount and Carmedic - thanks guys for taking the time and trouble to reply. Fantastic!

John

[viscount]

Knew I had a print somewhere of G-AOJH in colour. As usual found it while searching out something else.

From the British Eagle steps in the background, sometime after January 1964 and before the end of 1968, the transparency from which this image has been scanned is dated 1st August 1968. The cream of the fuselage top comes out paler than I recall it. I presume that the taller gent could well be John Lewery.



Looking at the b&w on an earlier post, clearly the scheme changed at some stage between 1962 and 1968, with the addition of the dark blue band.

[ronturner]

Here is a photo of the Fox Moth when it was earning its living at Speke.

I do not know the exact date as it was not my photo. Not sure of its origins.

[cebu]

Thats a wonderful photo, its so typical of Speke in the 60 / 70's and there is a dog on the apron!. I wonder why the F27 AKA is parked in that location, some sort of technical issue although the hanger was long out of use. I flew AKA many times and she is still around at the Lelystad’s Aviation Theme Park even had the airfix model. The composition with the steps, the fox, dog, F27 and Dak is just great, thanks a lot

[viscount]

A little sleuthing shows the photo has to be in the period 1959 to 1961.

The first Air Lingus Fokker Friendship called at Speke in Decenber 1958. With North West Air Services, G-AOJH arrived at Liverpool in December 1958 and was based until grounded by a minor collision with an apron vehicle during 1961. Owner Harry Paterson commencing pleasure flights at Speke March 1959. Cambrian operated the Dakota until mid 1969, while Aer Lingus only operated their Friendships until Spring 1966. Although G-AOJH returned 1968 to 1970 with John Lewery 'Captain Johnny'', this is earlier, the Esso tankers too certainly belong to the late 50s/early 60s. The steps in the foreground are Starways, so must be pre end of December 1963.

I have no idea why the Friendship is parked 'nose -in' to the hangar doors. At this time (late 50s/early 60s) Cambrian did some line maintenance work in No. 2 hangar - No.1 having recently been vacated by Airwork Ltd, then briefly used by Starways and Transmeridian (from 1962) before the arrival of British Eagle in 1964.

I recall dogs on the apron too. Usually 'runaways' that had arrived as insecure cargo on Aer Lingus from Dublin, escaping from their transit boxes either in the hold or on the apron. It was great fun from the balcony watch the hapless loaders being avoided by the scared witless canine! Sometimes I think they were left until they got hungry or thirsty, then captured for return to their owners.

[Deleted]

Great photo Ron - whoever took it! It brings back many memories.

1960 would be my guess. I was working for Harry Patterson at the time and I remember the "Pleasure Flights" stickers on the cowlings. I'm not familiar with the colour scheme in Viscount's photo, although I was still working there at the time.

I suspect the F27 had gone 'tech' and been removed from the 'customs area' of the apron to leave it free for other movements. The engineers at LPL were not qualified to work on the F27, so a team from Dublin would have to come over to make the necessary repairs. There is also the possibility that it had been operating a charter - football related? - and been parked away from the operational area.

As Viscount points out, dogs were regularly transported to and from Dublin and did occasionally escape from captivity. I remember one case where the dog, something of a champion apparently, escaped (the ramp crew said that the door had not been secured properly) and resisted recapture. It was eventually caught on the south side of the airfield near Speke Hall about two weeks later. It looked more like a Doberman than a greyhound and was sent to the RSPCA centre at Halewood for rehabilitation!

As has been mentioned previously, and referring to the original title, Harry Paterson regularly took 'JH to Birkdale or Southport sands, especially when the weather was like it is currently. We also took it to Baginton and Cosford for the air shows there.

[rossdale]

Hi,
I took that photo in 1960 and posted it on the forerunner of this forum some years ago. The Friendship was waiting to have an engine changed.
My first flight was also from Birkdale Sands in the late 50's. I think the Fox Moth was painted all white at the time.

Ross Dale

[ronturner]

Thanks Ross. Hope I did not step on your toes.
Ron T

[philglt]

Here is a photo I took of OJH sometime in '69 in its "new" colours but with an unpainted cowling:



(single click to enlarge)

Phil

[viscount]

A reminder from Phil Butler that G-AOJH was not the first Fox Moth to be used to provide pleasure flights from Birkdale Sands. Since the second half of the 1930s, right through until mid 1964 Norman Giroux and his company Giro Aviation used two Fox Moths, based at Hesketh Park and operating from Birkdale Sands beach. Phil has forwarded these two delightful images, professionally scanned from large negatives. I have reduced the amount of sky, but have retained the width, showing the great expanse of sand at Birkdale well.


Fox Moth G-ACCB at Birkdale Sands 27th August 1953. Cream overall with red registration and cheat-line, almost certainly unchanged since Norman Giroux bought it from Midland & Scottish Air Ferries Ltd in 1936. This aircraft ditched into the sea off Southport 25th September 1956, was recovered, but stored dismantled due to sea water damage. She was restored to the register 3.88 and has been a protracted rebuild project since.





Fox Moth G-ACEJ at Birkdale Sands 8th September 1953, paint scheme is an off-white shade overall, with blue registration. Following a C of A expiry mid 1964, G-ACEJ was sold and returned to the air by the new owners. The aircraft was struck by Musketeer G-AYWS and badly damaged by fire at Old Warden 17th July 1982. 'EJ was reconstructed by the Newbury Aeroplane Co incorporating rescued parts and re-flew 24th October 1994 and remains airworthy today, indeed revisited Southport Sands a few years back. I presume that this was the aircraft that Ross Dale (in an earlier post) recalls taking his first flight in from Birkdale Sands.

The keen-eyed will note a visual difference between these Fox Moth photos and those of G-AOJH. G-AOJH was a de Havilland Canada built Fox Moth and has the pilot position covered with a sliding canopy, while the British built machines have the pilot sat in the open behind a windscreen.

There are detailed histories all the Fox Moths built on the web. www.ab-ix.co.uk/dh83.pdf
To find these aircraft, the listing is in construction number sequence, so: G-ACCB is c/no 4042; G-ACEJ 4069; G-AOJH FM42.

For those interested in aviation at Birkdale/Southport, a few years ago a booklet 'On Silver Sands' was published - to my shame I never acquired a copy. Anyone know if it is still available anywhere?

[viscount]

Phil Butler also relates by e-mail a seemingly typical short anecdote relating to G-AOJH while at Speke, triggered by the photo of G-AOJH with an unpainted cowl. The story though must be some years before the scene in 'Philglt's' photo.

"I helped Harry Paterson to paint the engine cowling with Dulux while between flights on the apron by Terminal Gate No.2. He had me check that the ARB Surveyor was not in his airport office, before he opened the can. The paint which he had bought in a Garston hardware store was definitely not 'approved material for aircraft use', but as Harry stated - much cheaper and not a problem on a metal part of the aircraft."

[Deleted]

Jul 31, 2013 23:42:42 GMT 1 viscount said:

Phil Butler also relates by e-mail a delightful short anecdote relating to G-AOJH while at Speke, triggered by the photo of G-AOJH with an unpainted cowl. The story though must be some years before the scene in 'Philglt's' photo.

"I helped Harry Paterson to paint the engine cowling with Dulux while between flights on the apron by Terminal Gate No.2. He had me check that the ARB Surveyor was not in his airport office, before he opened the can. The paint which he had bought in a Garston hardware store was definitely not 'approved material for aircraft use', but as Harry stated - much cheaper and not a problem on a metal part of the aircraft."

That sounds like Harry! I hadn't heard that story before, but it doesn't surprise me a bit. Incidentally Harry and his missus ran a snack bar/tea shop in Church Road in Garston during the time he was doing the pleasure flights from Speke. I think it was the original flights by Norman Giroux from Birkdale which encouraged Harry to do the flights, though as I remember these were more often than not from the southern beach area at Southport - approximately opposite where what remains of the funfair is now.